Street-indicator



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

W. STRALEY.

STREET INDICATOR.

No. 565,226. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

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(No Model.) W STRALEY 2 Sheets-Shegt 2.

STE BET INDIGATO R.

No. 555,226. Patented Feb; 25, 1896.

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UNITED STATE ATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM STRALEY, OF CLEVELAND, OI-IIO.

STREET-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,226, dated February 25, 1896.

Application filed February 28, 1895. Serial No. 539,972. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM STRALEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Indicators, of which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in street-indicators for street-cars; and the object of the invention is to provide a legible print of the name of the street as it appears in succession while the car passes, in such a position that-each person on the car can readily see it and be prepared to stop the car at the proper destination.

My invention consists in the combination of an interior display device located within the car, and an operating device on the platform within easy access of the driver or motorman, and in the connecting mechanism and the general arrangement and construction of details, as hereinafter described,shown in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front of the car. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of car, showing location of indicator. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the device, showing the casing in vertical section. Fig. 4 is a front view of the same with the front plate removed from casing. Fig. 5 is a detail of exterior of upper end of case. Fig. 6 is a plan view of operating mechanism. Fig. '7 is a detail of ratchet, and Figs. 8 and 9 show a modified form of ratchet mechanism and gearing. Figs. and 11 are detail enlarged views of the ratchet mechanism.

In the drawings, 1 is the car-platform; 2, the front car-wall.

3 is the casing for the indicator secured vertically against the car-wall.

4 is an opening near the top of the casing, through which the names of the streets appear in order on the strip 5 as it is revolved over the rollers 6, 7 and 8 pivoted to the easing and about which it passes.

9 is a weight which draws taut the loop 10 of the strip 5, so that any length of strip neces sary to contain all the names of streets on the line can be used without danger of its being slack upon the rolls. The lower roll is preferably covered with rubber to secure close contact.

In order to revolve the rolls and move the strip to show the streetnames in consecutive order a sprocket-wheel 11 is placed upon the lower roller-shaft and connected to a similar but larger wheel, 12, upon a short transverse shaft passing underneath the car, and provided with the bevel-pinion 13. A longitudinal shaft 1& passing underneath the platform is provided with the bevel-gears 15 and 16, which are adapted to engage alternatelywith the pinion 13 and revolve the rollers one way or the other, according as the car is traveling in the direction from or returning to the station.

In order to revolve the rollers and strip the exact distance required from one street-name to another, a ratchet 17 is employed on the forward end of the shaft 14, and a pin 18 extends upward through the platform in such a position as to be readily accessible to the foot of the driver or motorman. To this pin is pivoted the pawl 19 actuated by a spring 20, which engages the teeth of the ratchet as it descends and rotates the shaft and gears. A coiled spring 21 upon the adjoining pin 22 returns the pawl to its first position. 23 is a guide for the spring-guide and pawls. 24 is a footlever placed just in front of the pin 18, which engages the grooved disk 25 on the shaft 14 and serves to throw the gears 15 or 16 alternately into engagement with the pinion 13, as described.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown a modified form of operating device where only one gear 16 is employed on the longitudinal shaft and a double ratchet 17 or reversely-arranged teeth with its actuating means. In this case the extra gear can be dispensed with entirely,

and the ratchet-pawl is made to have a direct thrust instead of a pull.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a street-indicator, the combination with a flexible strip loosely mounted upon rollers in a suitable casing and maintained taut by means of a roller-weight, a lower actuating-roller, and of means for rotating said rollers and moving said strip from the front of the platform to bring each name successively into View, consisting ofra spring-pin in the front platform, a pawl and ratchet-wheel neath said roller, sprocket-wheels upon said 15 shaft and roller, and chain connecting them, a bevel-pinion upon said shaft, a longitudinal shaft provided with bevel-gears adapted to alternately engage said pinion, pawl-andratchet mechanism upon the forward end of said shaft operatedby the foot of the driver, and reversing-lever for said alternate gears,

'substantiall y' as set forth.

VM. STRALEY.

lVitnesses M. M. MONROE, FRANK A. OLDs. 

